Tuesday, July 9, 2024

Old Nook-New Look part 1

 

Christmas 2023


For those of you who have not known me long, the above photo is what I am talking about when I talk about The Nook. The label says 21 posts but there are a dozen more that have no label.
 the story of how it all started is on this post from 2009. this one is the Label
I noticed a few weeks ago the lights were getting dimmer and dimmer and that they no longer get brighter when I tell them to with the remote. They have been on, every day for 3 years, only turned off when we leave the house or go to bed.
I SEARCHED FAIRY LIGHTS on Amazon!
Days of looking and reading. I kept going back to 
photo from amazon.

Wishing Ball Curtain lights. I love Edison Light Bulbs, but they do not fit Florida Homes and these are kinda sorta like them.
It sat in The Cart for 5 days, I stared and pictured what it would look like, I measured 3 different times.
Bob said what are you doing, at least a dozen times.
The Amazon driver cometh, I opened the box and plugged them in


to make sure they worked before I removed them because I COULD TELL it would be a JOB.
Little did I know what kind of Job. Below is your clue.

In My Minds Eye I saw a simple solution lifting 10  loops off and adding 10 loops on the hooks Bob hung 3 years ago.
Look to the left there are 10 strands, 10 hooks and each is strand is 8 feet long. I coiled each one as far as I could reach (see phone doesn't touch coil) to make it easier to take them down
 I stand on step stool. It is still 3 inches away. I stand on tiptoes and can struggle to lift it down.

The Problem Is standing flat if one thing, tiptoes is another! 

If you are thinking let Bob do it, he is not what he was 3 years ago. Standing on step stool is a no for him. I said Bob come hold me while I hang these. He struggled off the sofa and made it to me and said what can I do. HOLD me when I stand on the stool and go up on tiptoes.

OMW! Ten Tiptoes Later! him latched on with arms around my hips, me thinking he will fall over and both of us will crash to the floor and neither of us can get to the phone to call for help.
TRUTH! I did think that. But Wait, there is more!

I had to stand on Tiptoes Ten More Times. Each bulb hangs on a strand, each strand was coiled to make it easy to hang on the hooks. Each coil had a tiny silver ONE INCH twist tie. I had to use Both Hands to untwist. by now he is huffing and puffing, short of breath. they were hung, we survived.

Look at the first photo, there are 4 shelves, each has 4 to 5 glass objects on them.
The entire nook is 6 ft by 5 feet of MIRROR. 
 I had to remove every thing from the nook, all glass and walk to the only safe place in the house 10 feet away. Back and forth, back and forth. I had to clean the mirror. and had to stand on Tiptoes 4 times to reach the top half of the mirror.
Exhausted, and hating my self for even thinking of this project, I sat down and said to Bob.
I will finish this tomorrow, I just can't do another thing.  I had walked the dog Before I started.   
To Be Continued

23 comments:

Ginny Hartzler said...

RATS, no photo of it finished! I am waiting with bated breath. I have done so much lately that I really underestimated how hard it would be. Sounds SO dangerous!!! I can't wait to see.

CheerfulMonk said...

That's scary! I'm so glad you haven't been hurt. Please be careful. ❤️

Rose said...

I am tired just listening to the story! I was waiting for the final shot....

Ann said...

That sounded exhausting just reading about it. Looking forward to seeing the new look

eileeninmd said...

It sounds like too much hard work, I am glad you were safe.
I am looking forward to see the finished job.
Take care, enjoy your day!

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari Om
And now I'm on tiptoes wondering how it gets finished?!! YAM xx

Barwitzki said...

I love fairy lights...
I doubt whether I need the physical exercise for this...
so good luck and a hug to you.
And when the fairy lights shine, everything that doesn't underline the beauty is forgotten.
A lots of love for you.

Donna said...

Lolol...you are too funny! Loved this post and the others!
Poor hubby...but I'm with you...getting too old for this stuff.
A broken hip, I do not need! lol
hugs
Donna

David M. Gascoigne, said...

There are some things better left to others and perhaps this was one of them. I doubt that Bob could have held you if you had fallen and it would have ended bad for both of you. Thank goodness it didn’t!

Brian's Home Blog said...

That sounds pretty difficult to me and standing on tip toes is exhausting!

Sandee said...

Sounds like this is pretty dangerous. You're far more crafty and agile than I am.

Have a fabulous day. Scritches to Beau. ♥

My Mind's Eye said...

Beautiful tedious labor of love and will be a work of art
Hugs Cecilia

Sparky said...

As the miles pile on, what used to be easy work, is now a Huge Big Deal. Even changing lightbulbs can be scary. I get that. I'm glad you're being careful. That said, I look forward to seeing the finished decoration(s). I like Edison's too. Might wanna try that myself. 💙

The Adventures of the LLB Gang said...

It's such a beautiful idea...but goodness, what a lot of scary work. I can't wait to see more!

Mevely317 said...

OMGosh, I'd no idea (the dimension) were so large!
The vision of y'all is seriously scary ... yet I can identify. In my younger days I thought nothing of shimmying up this way or that, but now's a whole 'nother thing.

I like Edison bulbs, too. But after reading the how-to's I'm not so tempted. ]
Looking forward to Part II!

photowannabe said...

Good Grief !!! What a project... Sound so complicated and scary. I'm glad Bob was able to hold you..Dave does the same for me. I think you are a few inches taller than me so I don't think I would even be able to attack those lights.
I sure hope you are going to be completely happy with them when done...They should be so pretty in your Nook.
Can't wait for the final photos.
Rest well and I hope things cool down a bit for you. Hopefully we are at the end of our heat wave of 113F days...
Ugh, I hate to see what our electric bill will be this month.
Sue

DawnTreader said...

Hope it all proved worth while in the end!!!

♥♥ The OP Pack ♥♥ said...

That is a lot of work - do be careful. Mom had some of those little light strands and got so frustrated with them she gave them to her daughter:)

We can't wait to see the finished nook.

Woos - Misty and Timber

Chatty Crone said...

You mush have REALLY wanted them up - to go to so m uch work. Can't wait to see them.

Debby@Just Breathe said...

Unbelievable! I can't believe you took on such a big project. I guess I don't understand why the wire you have to put up. So the bulbs are not attached to the a wire?

DeniseinVA said...

You were certainly getting your exercise with this project. I am looking forward to seeing it all set up.

Pamela M. Steiner said...

Oh my goodness! I do hope you like it all when it is finally done, because I would hate to see you take it all back down and go back to plan B or A or whatever is easier! LOL. I am sure it will be beautiful and you will love it, but it sure sounds like a lot of work! Kind of like stringing lights on the Christmas tree and other crazy places and saying to myself, this is the last year I'll be able to do this, and then finding the will and fortitude to do it again each year...not sure how much longer...yeah, I get it. I know it will be beautiful, so keep up the good work, but yes, take breaks and remember "Rome wasn't built in a day".

Linda said...

I feel your pain! NOTHING is easy anymore! I can't even open jars, bottles, packets etc and yet deaing with lights is even harder! I'm glad you got these, though as the joy of looking at them is greater than the pain of putting them up!!! I'm going to be looking for these....are they plug ins or battery powered??